Penultimate chapter! I'll probably continue this with a first war fic? Maybe? –N

Remus still struggled with his injuries when the other students came back from Christmas break, much to the amusement of the Slytherins. They howled at him when he walked into class on crutches.

"Who shanked you, Lupin?" Rowle called in potions.

Remus didn't say anything. Slughorn, speaking with Amycus Carrow didn't seem to have noticed, or else he didn't care.

"Bet it was his boyfriend," Snape said quietly. "Finally wearing the Black family name with pride."

The other Slytherins cackled and Sirius glared at them. "Fuck off," James said, but that only made them laugh harder.

"Settle down," Slughorn said. Carrow took his seat and snickered with the other Slytherins. As he began the class, Remus held his gaze straight ahead, apparently unflinching. Sirius knew better.

XXX

The next full moon was particularly painful, for Remus and also for his friends to watch. Remus stumbled around the shack as a wolf, fearful of the pain and angry at his injuries. He bit and scratched at his legs – particularly his right – even with Sirius and James there to try and stop it.

The other boys left just before the sun rose, like usual, but Sirius stayed behind. Remus shuttered as he came back to himself. "Fuck." He grimaced and clenched his fists around the blankets on the four-poster. The wound on his side from a month ago was leaking blood. His legs were all torn up.

"Let's get you to the hospital wing," Sirius said.

"You're not supposed to be here –"

"Fuck that," Sirius said. Remus let Sirius come onto his right side and support him all the way up through the tunnel. Even though it was late January, Remus was sweating by the time they got back to the castle.

"I thought he'd need help," Sirius said by way of explanation to Madam Pomfrey, who luckily never questioned things. She laid Remus in his usual bed – furthest from the entrance – and got to work.

Remus groaned as Madam Pomfrey put something that smelled rather like fish onto his side wound.

"M'sorry, Love," Sirius said, squeezing his hand.

"S'okay," Remus said. "Not your fault." Madam Pomfrey was now working on his legs, which, judging by Remus' expression, were just as bad.

XXX

Sirius came back after class with Peter and James to help Remus up to the Common Room, where he immediately collapsed onto his bed. "Thank you," he said, turning to face them.

"Don't be silly," James said. "You saved us last month. And you'd do the same anyway. And, y'know, we love you and all that."

"Mmhmm." Remus shivered slightly when Sirius laid a hand on his head and began stroking his hair.

"Can you get some rest?"

Remus nodded and closed his eyes. Sirius soon learned, however, that attempting sleep was futile. Every shift brought Remus a fresh wave of agony. He couldn't breathe too deeply for fear of reopening the bite on his side.

After the other boys had gone to sleep, Sirius sat down on the edge of Remus' bed. "I'm going to carry you," he said.

Remus frowned. "What?"

"C'mon." Remus positioned his hands on Sirius' back and Sirius lifted Remus' legs so that they were tight around his waist. They walked like that until they reached the prefect's bathroom on the fifth floor. Sirius gave the password – "Cleanliness" – and once they were in, let Remus slide off his back.

Remus shivered on the tiled floor. "Sirius?"

"Hmm?" Sirius turned one of the taps until water came rushing out.

"What are we doing?"

Sirius turned another tap, this one spewing purple foam that he knew from potions would clean out Remus' wounds.

"We're taking a bath."

As the tub filled, Sirius began to strip Remus of his clothes. "Don't look," Remus mumbled.

Sirius snorted. "As if I haven't seen you naked before."

"Not like this," Remus said, but Sirius continued to strip Remus naked, looking all the while. The bite on Remus' side was healing, leaking pus and scabbing over at the same time. His legs were nearly shredded, especially his right.

"Y'know you're beautiful?"

Remus snorted. "M'kay."

"No, really," Sirius said, and he bent down to kiss the place over Remus' ribs where two scars criss-crossed. "You're stunning." He kissed another scar. "Like a painting."

Remus sighed and Sirius grinned to himself. After he took off his own clothes, he lowered Remus into the tub.

"Ah, fuck!" Each cut hitting the water burned, but Sirius kept going. Once it was over, it would be so much better.

"Shit shit shit," Remus hissed. The blood from his legs leaked out and mixed with the foam in scarlet swirls. Remus bit back a scream once the water reached the wound on his side.

Sirius reached over and grabbed the soap from the side of the tub. Gently, he scrubbed last night's layer of dirt and sweat from Remus' back.

"Are you seriously turned on right now?"

Sirius flushed and brought his legs together. "I told you, you're stunning."

Remus leaned back against Sirius. "I love you."

Sirius planted a kiss on his head and held Remus in the water, letting the purple foam do its work. By the time they finished, Remus was almost smiling.